Billiard-cushion



(Nolvodel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l G. E. STEVENS. BILLIARD CUSHION.

No. 593,249.` Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

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'(No Model.) l3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. H. STEVENS. BILLIARD CUSHION.

No. 593,249. Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' G. H. STEVENS. I

BILLIARD CUSHION.

N0.593,24Q. :Y 4 PatentedN0v.9,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEORGE H. STEVENS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

BILLIARD-CUSHION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,249, dated November 9, 1897.

Application fina January 9,1896.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE H. STEVENS, of Toledo, county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Inlproveniente in Billiard-Cushions; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to a billiard-cushion, and has especial relation to means for securing the cushion to the rail.

The invention consists,broadly,in a cushion having secured thereto or having vulcanized thereon or therein a canvas or other holding-strip having supplemental or extended flaps for adhesion or attachment upon the rail in addition to the adhesion or attachment of the back area of the cushion as heretoforc.

The object of the invention is to provide means for more surely and securely attaching the cushion to the rail.

Heretofore the cushion has been connected to the rail at the area only of the base of the cushion, and has resulted, first, in an imperfeet adhesion in many instances, thereby varying the rebound of the ball from the angle of concussion, due to a variation in the solidity of the cushion with reference to the rail, which also lessens the elasticity of the cushion, and, secondly, in such imperfect security that the weight of the player in leaning on the cushion has frequently resulted in loosening the cushion from the rail. Another cause of frequent occurrence in loosening the cushion from its adhesion to the rail is the primary examination of players in selecting the table of choice, in which they invariably subject the cushion to violent strain in both an upward and downward direction by grasping the cushion by one or both hands and compressing and swaying the cushion to test its elasticity.

As is well known, it is imperatively necessary, in order to insure a true angle from the point of concussion of the ball, that the cushion shall be firmly adhered at all points to the Serial No. 574,808. (No model.)

rail of the table. This perfect adhesion is practically impossible with the present mode of securing the cushion to the rail.

In the present invention I provide not only for the ordinary adhesion of the back of the cushion to the rail, but in providing longitudinally supplemental adhesion or fasteningstrips for attachment tothe top and lower side of the rail' have arranged, first, for convenient and positive means for holding the back of the cushion firmly to the rail during the period of setting of the adhesive and until fully adhered, and then by adhering the side strips to the sides of the rail provide for strain upon the cushion in either direction without affecting the fastening.

In the drawings, Figure l is a transverse section showing the cushion provided with the adhesive strips upon the base and the supplemental side strips for attachment to the upper and under side of the rail. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. A Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the rail and cushion, showing the supplemental iiaps adhered to the upper and lower sides of the rail. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a section of the table, showing the cushion in position and the upper supplemental iap rolled back for a portion of its length. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the cushion, showing a modified form of arrangement of fastening-strip in which a strip of canvas is molded or adhered within the under side of the cushion to prevent undue flexion of the cushion under impact of the ball and extending entirely through to the base, with a iap to be adhered with the base-nap to the under side of the rail. Fig. 6 is a like view showing the base-strip of a width to extend from the lower side of the base across the same and provide a iiap to be adhered to the upper side of the rail, the strip within the lower side of the cushion extending to provide the holding-nap for the lower side of the rail.

1 designates the cushion, having secured upon the back 2, preferably by vulcanization, a strip 3 of fabric, preferably canvas, to insure strength. The portion of canvas '4 secured upon the back 2 is adapted to be adhered to the upper side 8 and lower side 9, respectively,of the rail,thereby firmly securing the cushion from being torn from the rail by the rail under a tension to insureA a com-plete adhesion of the back with the rail, after which the flaps are adhered to the upper and lower sides, respectively, of the rail under a tension to firmly support the cushion from undue strain in either direction. It will be readily seen. that a downward strain upon the cushion is met with thev support of the Hap upon the upper side of the rail and likewise a sudden impact in an upward direction is sustained by the lower flap, whereby the ordinary tendency ofthe cushion to cleave from the rail is entirely avoided, and the base is at all times solidly upon the rail, thereby insuring accuracy of shot and additional elasticity to the cushion.

In the modiiied form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the face-strip l0, inserted in the lower side ofthe cushion, is extended to form a flap ll,

which, as shown in Fig. 5, may be supple- Q mental to the flap adhered to the lower side and adhered thereon, or, as shown in Fig. 6,

the strip 3 may be of a width to extend from l the lower edge of the back and form-the upper' flap, in which case the strip l0 forms the lower flap and is adhered to the rail. l regard these latter modifications as of great value, as the secured strip 10 tends to increase the elasticity of the cushion by hold ing the apex firmly in tension and lessening the tendency to upward displacement under compact.

What I claim isc l. As a new article of manufacture, a bilhard-cushion, having a fabric strip permaenently secured thereto upon one side only,

the stripl being of greater width than the width of the side of the cushion to which it is attached, thereby providing loose flaps extendingat each side of the cushion, whereby in attaching the cushion to the rail, there are provided three points of attachment, the rear of the cushion and the two flaps,one upon each side of the cushion.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a bil- Hard-cushion providedwith a fabricr backing, v having an adhesive flap, and astiffening-strip having adhesive flaps.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as f my own I hereby aflx my signature in presence of two witnesses. v

GEORGE H. STEVENS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM WEBSTER, CARL H. KELLER. 

